I've just discovered this forum and am so relieved to discover that others found week 6 run 1 hard. I skipped out of the door this morning after the euphoria of completing week 5 last week. I thought today would be relatively easy but my legs felt like lead all the way round. I was pleased to get it in the bag, but I didn't get my usual high at the end because I couldn't understand why it felt so hard.

Is it just one of those things? Or is there something about this run that makes it harder than it seems?

MOK is so right, I think W5 R3 is such a major milestone, then you seem physically to go backwards... and then you're back to intervals. It's a real head messer, but it brings you back to building stamina again. Stay the course you're doing brilliantly.

Nobody likes W6. It seems harder simply because we expect it to be easier than the last one. For us novice runners we look at the time of each individual run, rather than the whole session.

W6R1 is a longer session than W5R3, meaning you are moving further and for longer. But because they are shorter individual runs we think 'that'll be easy'.

Even experienced runners use interval training, as it allows you to build stamina really well. The constant walking/ running is really building your endurance. It is not just the running parts - that's just the bit that gets us puffing and our heart rate up - the walking is gradually building stamina and endurance too.

So you should be proud of yourself because you are now pushing to the nest stage.

This is the sneaky side of the programme it builds you up til you are feeling pumped and you think yay wk 5 nailed, over half way there this running lark isnt as bad as I thought cruise to graduation . . . .

SMACK

OOh where did that come from.

Wk6R1 is a real leveller. But in all honesty get through wk6 and wks 7-9 are a piece of Cake.

Thank you all so much for the words of encouragement. How brilliant to find a community of people out there who give their time to motivate others. Qscout I particularly enjoyed the smack in the face! Onwards and upwards...

I'm being bolshy today and will say in a small voice "I quite liked week 6". I enjoyed the intervals and did not look forward to the relentless non-stop runs at the end of the programme. But I think I'm the exception!